Meredith Hayden
Meredith Hayden | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 17, 1996 |
| Education | Clemson University (BS), Institute of Culinary Education |
| Occupations | Influencer, chef |
Meredith Hayden (born January 17, 1996), who goes by the username Wishbone Kitchen, is an American social media influencer and chef. She first became known for her social media reels about her role as a private chef in the Hamptons. She has traditionally published one cookbook, The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook, after previously self-publishing two other cookbooks, Wishbone Vol. 1 and Wishbone Vol. 2. She is set to host video podcast Wishbone Kitchen for Netflix.
Biography
[edit]Hayden was born on January 17, 1996,[1] and hails from Wyckoff, New Jersey.[2] Growing up, she visited Nantucket every summer.[3] She earned a Bachelors of Science in Marketing from Clemson University. She subsequently worked in advertising sales at Vogue while attending the Institute of Culinary Education, from which she graduated in 2019. That same year, she self-published two cookbooks: Wishbone Vol. 1, themed around holiday recipes, and Wishbone Vol. 2, which emphasized summer meals.[4][5] She has stated that she printed only 500 copies of each.[6]
She began working as a private chef in the Hamptons in 2020 and soon started posting day-in-the-life videos about her work[4] under the username Wishbone Kitchen.[7] By 2022, she had reached nearly one million followers on social media.[4] She also worked as a caterer during this period.[8]
In 2024, she moved from her New York City apartment into a house in the Hamptons.[2]
She also created a long-form YouTube series, Dinner with Friends, in 2024.[9] In 2025, she accused Bon Appétit of copying her with the creation of a series of the same name and a similar color palette, which also focused on food.[10]
As of 2026, she had a combined total of nearly four million followers across social media platforms.[11]
Her cookbook Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook was released in the summer of 2025. It reached number two on The New York Times Best Seller list, led to a sold-out nationwide tour,[12] and remained on the list for twelve weeks.[13]
She has stated that she likes to create food that is "as much fun to make as it is fun to eat".[3] She has been described as "Gen Z's Martha Stewart" and "The Chronically Online Ina Garten", while referring to herself as "Walmart Martha Stewart".[4][9] She has cited Stewart as a frequent inspiration and met her for the first time in 2025.[14] She has stated that she views cooking and homemaking activities, such as needlepoint, as feminist and as "an act of self-care".[9]
She has stated that she uses cannabis gummies to help her sleep.[13] She suffered an ACL tear in 2025 and stated that she fully recovered in 2026.[15] In 2026, she stated that she had been roofied and kidnapped after a Hollywood premiere in early 2022, and has she has experienced PTSD, agoraphobia, anxiety, and depression since the incident.[16][17]
She partnered with Barilla to advertise their Al Bronzo pasta line[18] and was featured on Today.[19] She was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list[20] and the Time 100 Creators in 2025.[21] In July 2026, Variety reported that Hayden had made a deal with Netflix to create a video podcast, Wishbone Kitchen, for the streaming platform.[22]
References
[edit]- ↑ Parent, Tabitha. "Wishbone Kitchen's Meredith Hayden Reveals the Most Important Lesson Her 20s Taught Her Ahead of 30th Birthday (Exclusive)". People.com. Archived from the original on 2026-01-07. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- 1 2 Garvey, Marianne (2024-10-14). "TikTok Influencer Wishbone Kitchen Snaps Up $2.88 Million Hamptons Home at Age 28—See Inside Her Sprawling Barn Conversion". Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- 1 2 "Meals on Media". N Magazine. Archived from the original on 2025-11-19. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- 1 2 3 4 "Meet Meredith Hayden: the TikToker Who Spends $2,000 on Groceries as a Private Chef in the Hamptons". People.com. Archived from the original on 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ "Meredith Hayden | Institute of Culinary Education". Institute of Culinary Education. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ Hayden, Meredith. "here's your sign to keep going 💗 ily all thank you for making my dreams come true 😭". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ Goldstein, Li (2022-09-15). "Private Chefs Are Celebrities Now Thanks to TikTok". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ C.P.T, Christa Sgobba (2022-09-09). "The Meal I Eat When I'm Feeling Anxious: Spaghetti Pomodoro". SELF. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- 1 2 3 Reiter, Amy. "Wishbone Kitchen Creator Meredith Hayden Actually Prefers Store-Bought Pasta". Food Network. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ Craighead, Olivia (2025-02-12). "Why Is Wishbone Kitchen Mad at Bon Appétit?". The Cut. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ "Exclusive: Meredith Hayden Is The Chronically Online Ina Garten". Bustle. 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ Petrucci, Monica. "Cook Like—Wishbone Kitchen's Meredith Hayden - Forbes Vetted". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- 1 2 Benveniste, Alexis. "Meredith Hayden Doesn't Want to Build a Massive Food Empire". The Cut.
- ↑ Lyttle, Zoey (August 15, 2025). "Martha Stewart Meets Wishbone Kitchen's Meredith Hayden After Years of Cross-Generational Comparison". People.
- ↑ Kim, Chiara (May 20, 2026). "Meredith Hayden Shares Her Cooking 'Summer Bucket List' for Her First Summer Since Surgery Recovery (Exclusive)". People.
- ↑ "Wishbone Kitchen's Meredith Hayden Claims She Was Kidnapped and Roofied at Hollywood Party". People.com. Archived from the original on 2026-02-04. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ McLawrence, Shaina (2026-02-05). "TikTok influencer alleges she was drugged and kidnapped 4 years ago". silive. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ "Wishbone Kitchen Has the Perfect Recipe for Hosting a Summer Dinner Party". E! Online. 2026-06-01. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ "Shake and Bake Chicken: Get Meredith Hayden's Recipe". TODAY.com. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ "Meredith Hayden". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ "Meredith Hayden: TIME100 Creators 2025". TIME. 2025-07-09. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ Spangler, Todd (2026-07-08). "Meredith Hayden Lands Netflix Deal for 'Wishbone Kitchen' Video Podcast (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2026-07-30.